


The Distance Between Us

by kotoyori



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: ((weakly laughing(, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, nameless au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-19 10:45:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8202713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kotoyori/pseuds/kotoyori
Summary: Borders are to be kept. Distinctions are to be maintained. Know your place and don’t stray from your designated path.
--
Chiaki is a boy who was raised in an elite and privileged environment. On the other hand, Izumi is not.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A huge thank you to Deco and Dana for beta reading!

 

\--

 

The dreams Izumi had were always bright and warm, which was something he had not felt in years.

 

From smiling up to his father, who always laughed kindly at him, to the sweet, perfect smell of the treats baked by his mother, to one of his favorite memories of running around the bakery as he played tag with Leo… the memories gave him comfort amidst his current chaotic life.

 

“Izumi,” his mother would say sweetly at him, with her perfect and soft smile that always made him feel safe.

 

“Izumi,” Father would laugh and ruffle his already messy hair, whenever Izumi messed up a new recipe.

 

Turning to look at his adopted brother, there was an unreadable expression on Leo’s face as he opened his mouth.

 

_ “Wake up.” _

 

\--

 

“–na. Sena. Wake up.” 

 

Gingerly opening his eyes, Izumi squinted at the person who had woken him up. 

 

“...Leo?” He whispered, lifting his hands up to block the light from the lantern. The person in front of him sighed in frustration.

 

“Do I look like Tsukinaga to you? It’s me, Hasumi.”

 

_ Ah, then that means... _ Izumi rubbed his eyes and barely held in a yawn, stretching his arms as he sat up.

 

“Patrol time?”

 

Keito nodded in response. “It’s eleven thirty. I let you sleep in a bit.”

 

The bright, warm dreams of the past vanished from Izumi’s mind without a trace. How strange, Izumi thought, as his eyes eventually adjusted to the brightness of the light. He could hardly even remember what he was dreaming about. Everything he saw so clearly in his dreams was forgotten when he was awake.

 

“You should have woken me up at the usual time.” Izumi grabbed his dark, long jacket that was used as a makeshift blanket. “It’s already so dark. It’s going to be a pain to start patrol at this time.” 

 

Keito shrugged. “I doubt there will be much trouble tonight. Did you forget? There’s a festival, so everyone’s avoiding the streets.”

 

“A festival? For what? Banishing a few thousand people to the slums of their empire?” Izumi’s voice was laced with scorn and a tint of regret that he himself could not join the festival. “Whatever it is, it’s just some excuse to make a ruckus throughout the night.”

 

Keito didn’t answer him for a moment, and then started to turn around. “Let’s go. We’re already late.”

 

“I wonder whose fault that is.” Izumi mumbled mostly to himself, following the other out of their hideout, careful not to wake the others.

 

Keito swiftly ignored Izumi’s glare, and rolled his eyes.

 

\--

 

“I wonder, is Hakaze having fun? He said he didn’t want to attend the festival last night, but I’m sure he went anyways. Hm, I suppose we’ll know once we see him.”

 

_ Who cares about that stupid playboy? _ Izumi wanted to respond, but stayed silent. If he spoke, he’d definitely speak in the same tone as Keito, whose voice was colored with wistfulness. 

 

“A festival… isn’t that nice?” Keito laughed to himself. “It’s been awhile since we’ve been to one, isn’t that right, Sena?” He gazed toward the tall, grey wall, where sounds of laughter from people of all ages could be heard.

 

They were walking near the gates that closed off the centre of the city from the slums. Keito was right — none of the usual troublemakers were out on the streets, though it was understandable as to why.

 

Soldiers from the empire were sent out into the poorer areas to make sure that none of the lower class would try to sneak into the city during such a joyous time. Although their efforts would be for nothing. Anyone who tried to sneak in would surely be a fool, as the punishment would be death… or something much worse.

 

_ Even if no one tried to get into the centre, the empire just wanted to show off their power anyways. _ Izumi thought, his gaze darkening.

 

Izumi glanced at the other from underneath his bangs. “You’ve gone soft, Hasumi,” he said, as he looked around the streets for any soldiers. Seeing that there were none, he signaled the other to quickly move towards the alley across the street.

 

Following the other boy, Keito hummed in response. “Perhaps I have. But, in times like this, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

 

“Yes, it is a bad thing.” Izumi scoffed at the other. “You’ll get killed that way.”

 

“Well, that wouldn’t be a bad thing either.” Keito responded quietly, unconsciously gripping the lantern’s handle tighter. 

 

Izumi spoke no more after that, and the rest of their patrol was silent but for the sound of their footsteps.

 

\--

 

Quickly and quietly finishing their nightly patrol, Izumi and Keito made their way to reach their final destination. An old, seemingly isolated building stood before them, and the duo walked inside with the lantern’s light illuminating their path. Izumi shivered as they walked down the cold, dark halls, their steps sounding louder than ever. He brought his arms up to embrace himself as if trying to keep out the cold, and followed the other.

 

Before long, they reached a plain looking door, with rust and scratches covering it, and a keyhole underneath the handle, small enough to go unnoticed.

 

“You have the key, right?” Keito’s voice broke the silence between them.

 

“Of course I do. I don’t know why you have to ask that every time.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Keito sniffed, and held his hand out, waiting for Izumi to give him the key. “You do know why.”

 

Sighing, the shorter boy reached into his pocket and handed over the small piece of metal, and waited for the other to unlock the door.  _ Yes, I do know why. But I want to forget it… that incident… _

 

The clacking sound of the door unlocking brought Izumi out of his thoughts, and he watched the other walk through the door, into the room where they would meet Kaoru.

 

\--

 

“He’s late.” Izumi muttered to himself. Usually, the blonde would be in the room before them, with whatever goods he had brought with him.

 

“There’s a festival.” The other reminded him. “He might have just forgotten, or perhaps he--”

 

Almost in response, the door opposite of the one they had came in opened. Both Izumi and Keito were on guard instinctively, but relaxed when they recognized the silhouette.

 

“Hakaze, you’re late.” Izumi released the breath he didn’t know he was holding. “What took you so long--” He stopped in his tracks, as a savory aroma floated in the air. 

 

Kaoru stood at the door while holding a giant bowl filled with meat mixed with a load of fruits and vegetables, and gave them a half-hearted smile.

 

“Sorry, sorry. I brought what you guys wanted, of course.” Kaoru set down the bowl and a bag of supplies on a table in the room. “But, I also got you some food. You’re hungry aren’t you? They’re cold now, but I can assure you they still taste amazing.”

 

Izumi snatched the bowl off the table, and immediately picked up a chicken leg. The meat was cooked well that the skin looked crispy, but it was also dripping with the juice. Kaoru wasn’t smart enough to poison it, Izumi wanted to say, but instead took a bite out of the meat. Beneath the crispy skin it was soft, and Izumi relished every mouthful.

 

“Tastes great, doesn’t it? I was right; you were hungry.”

 

The paler boy glared at the blonde, and wordlessly handed the bowl over to his partner.

 

“Must’ve been a fun festival, huh?” Keito asked suddenly, not looking at Kaoru as he picked out some fruit to eat. “You lost track of time, didn’t you? Since you’re late.”

 

The blonde only shrugged. “Eh, it’s okay. It’s just to celebrate some soldiers coming home from the war. And to welcome new recruits that are entering the academy. Or something like that?” Kaoru waved his hand in the air.  “You know how the empire is.”

 

At that, Keito tensed up, and crushed a grape in between his fingers. “The academy? I... see…”

 

Quickly glancing at his partner, Izumi clenched his fists and forced himself to relax. His cold, blue eyes stared straight into Kaoru’s.

 

“Well then.” He said stiffly. “Thank you for the food and the supplies. We’ll get back to you in the usual time with the information you want.” Pushing Keito towards the door, he grabbed the lantern and bag filled with supplies and made their way to leave, until a “Wait a sec!” left the other.

 

“Let’s go to the festival together. I can sneak you guys in.” Kaoru grinned at the other two. It would be so easy; the door behind him led to the inside of  the centre of the city. The room they stood in was within the walls that separated the slums and a festive night.

 

Izumi tightened his lips. Kaoru’s proposal was surely innocent, yet Izumi could not help but feel contempt fill his chest. He clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palm, almost hard enough to draw blood.

 

“Not interested.” 

 

As if to make up for Izumi’s rudeness, Keito spoke up before Kaoru could respond. “We have to go back and make sure the others are alright. Plus, we want to share this delicious food with them, right, Sena?” As he said that, Keito let his hand not holding the bowl fall onto Izumi’s shoulder, and squeezed gently. 

 

_ Control yourself _ , _ Sena _ .

 

Although Keito’s facial expression didn’t change, Izumi could sense the falter in his voice, the slight waver betraying his true feelings.

 

However, Kaoru didn’t notice. With slight disappointment, he merely responded with an “I see.”

 

“Just enjoy yourself, okay?” Izumi said quietly, carrying the lantern in his hand and opened the door that would lead them back to their dilapidated city.

 

“Yeah. I’ll do that.” Kaoru paused, looking hesitant. “Take care of yourselves. I’ll see you around.”

 

Without responding, Izumi closed the door, the light from the room disappearing behind it. 

 

With a turn of the key and click of the lock, the gate to their chance at happiness was closed once again.

 

\--

 

“I wonder if the smell of the food is too strong… I don’t want to attract anyone troublesome with it…” Keito muttered mostly to himself as the two carefully walked back to their base. “I hope Hakaze included the supplies that I requested last time… Nagumo has been running out of paper and I want to teach him how to write some more...”

 

Gripping the lantern tighter, Izumi kept his silence as bitterness filled up inside him, and looked back at the closed gates that lead to the heart of the city. Gates that he, Keito, and the rest could never hope to go through.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm actually really nervous about this fic and my writing, but I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter.  
> More rambling and visuals of this AU (out of many) @krtsmdts on twitter.


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